Self Modifying State Graphs for Quality of Service Classification

1. A method comprising: inspecting data that is transmitted over a network to determine state information for said data; dynamically modifying a state graph associated with said data based upon said state information; and utilizing said modified state graph to perform stateful inspection of said data; assigning Quality of Service (QoS) classification to said data responsive to said stateful inspection of said data; and prioritizing transmission of the data over the network responsive to the QoS classification.

2. The method for dynamically modifying a stateful inspection of data as recited in claim 1 wherein said state graph is implemented in a high level programming language.

3. The method for dynamically modifying a stateful inspection of data as recited in claim 2 wherein said high level programming language is a Protocol Description Language (PDL).

4. The method for dynamically modifying a stateful inspection of data as recited in claim 1 wherein said data is packet data.

5. The method for dynamically modifying a stateful inspection of data as recited in claim 1 wherein said assigning of said Quality of Service classification is based upon the highest level application for said data.

6. An apparatus comprising: means for inspecting data that is transmitted over a network to determine state information for said data; means for dynamically modifying a state graph associated with said data based upon said state information; and means for utilizing said modified state graph to perform stateful inspection of said data; means for assigning Quality of Service (QoS) classification to said data responsive to said stateful inspection of said data; and means for prioritizing transmission of the data over the network responsive to the QoS classification.

7. The apparatus for dynamically modifying a stateful inspection of data as recited in claim 6 wherein said state graph is implemented in a high level programming language.

8. The apparatus for dynamically modifying a stateful inspection of data as recited in claim 7 wherein said high level programming language is a Protocol Description Language (PDL).

9. The apparatus for dynamically modifying a stateful inspection of data as recited in claim 6 wherein said data is packet data.

10. The apparatus for dynamically modifying a stateful inspection of data as recited in claim 6 wherein said assigning of said Quality of Service classification of is based upon the highest level application for said data.

11. A computer system comprising: a processor; a memory device comprising computer executable instructions stored therein for performing a method said method comprising: inspecting data that is transmitted over a network to determine state information for said data; dynamically modifying a state graph associated with said data based upon said state information; and utilizing said modified state graph to perform stateful inspection of said data; assigning Quality of Service (QoS) classification to said data responsive to said stateful inspection of said data; and prioritizing transmission of the data over the network responsive to the QoS classification.

12. The system for dynamically modifying a stateful inspection of data as recited in claim 11 wherein said state graph is implemented in a high level programming language.

13. The system for dynamically modifying a stateful inspection of data as recited in claim 12 wherein said high level programming language is a Protocol Description Language (PDL).

14. The system for dynamically modifying a stateful inspection of data as recited in claim 11 wherein said data is packet data.

15. The system for dynamically modifying a stateful inspection of data as recited in claim 11 wherein said assigning of said Quality of Service classification is based upon the highest level application for said data.